Reduce Your Risk for Diabetes

Todd A. Hoover, MD, DHt According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 25.8 million Americans (11.2% of all adults) currently have Diabetes. Almost 2 million new cases will be diagnosed this year. Costs associated with this disease are estimated to be $174 billion each year.1 As you age, your risk for developing diabetes increases to over 25% by 65 years of age.2 Diabetes is occurring in more and more Americans each year. Cases have increased more than 750% in the past 50 years (see Chart 1).3,4,5

Chart 1 Causes of Increasing Diabetes Rates The risk factors for developing Diabetes include: Obesity Physical inactivity Increasing age Certain ethnic groups (African American, Native American, Hispanic and some groups from Asia or Pacific Islands) Of these causes, obesity and physical inactivity are the most likely reasons for the increasing frequency of diabetes seen in this country. This becomes more obvious when comparing obesity trends over the past 50 years6 (chart 2) to the chart above. Chart 2 Prevention of Diabetes The best way for you to prevent ever having

Diabetes is to exercise and keep your weight in a healthy range. A rough guide to healthy weight level is the Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI can be easily calculated using measurements of your height and weight. You can find a BMI instrument on the web at: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ Use these measures on the following chart.

Your BMI determines your relative weight. For adults: Less than 18.5% = underweight 18.5 24.9% = normal weight 25.0 29.9% = overweight More than 29.9% = obesity If you are overweight or obese, you need to take immediate steps to reduce your risk for Diabetes. Your first goal is to improve your diet. You may need to change both the number of calories you consume and the types of food you eat. Many types of exercise can help you improve both your overall weight and the way your body handles sugar and fat. Please look for specific diabetic diet information and graduated exercise programs for weight control from the American Diabetic Association: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/ Early Detection of Diabetes Diabetes can occur in two distinct types. Type I, often called Juvenile Diabetes, is due to a problem in the pancreas which results in little or no insulin production. Because insulin helps control blood sugar, sudden lack of the hormone causes rapid increase in blood sugar usually resulting in a trip to the emergency room. Type II Diabetes, often called Adult Onset type, is due to a relative lack of insulin compared to an increased need for the hormone in the body. The main causes for increased need for insulin result from too many calories in your diet and increased size of fat cells. Large fat cells are less sensitive to insulin, so you will not have enough to do the job, resulting in a gradual increase in your blood sugar. The main symptoms of diabetes include: Increased urination amounts Increased thirst Ravenous hunger Tiredness Vision changes Unexpected infections

If you are over 45 years old, overweight, have a strong family history of diabetes, or have symptoms of diabetes, you should have a fasting blood test for sugar. A blood sugar higher than 125 mg/dl is probable evidence of diabetes. A second test called hemoglobin A1C is also used to check the average blood sugar for about a 6 week period. And some doctors examine the insulin level, which is sometimes raised even before the blood sugar changes. Reversing Diabetes If you are in the early stages of Diabetes, you can often reverse the course by simply losing weight. In practice, the changes in average blood sugar are usually seen once weight is decreased by at least 10%. Starting a regular exercise program may help as well. Homeopathic, herbal medicines, and nutritional therapies may also play a strong role in early diabetes. Preventing Complications with Diabetes Over time, Diabetes is associated with a number of major complications including: Loss of vision Strokes Kidney failure Impotence Heart disease Infections Nerve damage Digestion problems While close control of blood sugar may help some of these issues, it is important to have close follow-up with your primary care provider to keep a check on any problems. Also, some complementary medical treatments and conventional medicines have been shown to help prevent or treat the complications of Diabetes.

1 2

United States Centers for Disease Control. 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet. National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2010: With Special Feature on Death and Dying. Hyattsville, MD. 2011. 3 Massey JT, Moore TF, Parsons VL, Tadros W. Design and estimation for the National Health Interview Survey, 19851994. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Vital and Health Statistics 1989;2(110). 4 Botman SL, Moore TF, Moriarity CL, Parsons VL. Design and estimation for the National Health Interview Survey, 19952004. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital and Health Statistics 2000;2(130). 5 Harris MI: Prevalence of noninsulin-dependent diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance. Chapter VI In: Diabetes in America, Harris MI, Hamman RF, eds. NIH publ. no. 85-1468, 1985 6 Ogden CL, Carroll MD. Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Extreme Obesity Among Adults: United States, Trends 19601962 Through 20072008. National Center for Health Statistics. June 2010.